DESCRIPTION
Sangoel is a refugee. Leaving behind his homeland of Sudan, where his father died in the war, he has little to call his own other than his name, a Dinka name handed down proudly from his father and grandfather before him.
When Sangoel and his mother and sister arrive in the United States, everything seems very strange and unlike home. In this busy, noisy place, with its escalators and television sets and traffic and snow, Sangoel quietly endures the fact that no one is able to pronounce his name. Lonely and homesick, he finally comes up with an ingenious solution to this problem, and in the process he at last begins to feel at home.
Written by the authors of the acclaimed
Four Feet, Two Sandals, this poignant story of identity and belonging will help young readers understand the plight of the millions of children in the world who are refugees.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Smithsonian Magazine, Notable Books for
REVIEWS
School Library Journal
"This simple story puts a child-friendly spin on a common immigrant experience. . . an excellent addition to the growing body of immigration stories for young readers."
Kirkus Reviews
"A sensitively written, hope-filled immigrant story. . . Though a skinny eight-year-old with downcast eyes, Sangoel is such a picture of quiet dignity that readers will come away admiring his courage and self-possession."
BookPage
"This is the gentle story of one refugee boy from Sudan and his adjustment to life in his new country, the United States. . . Through soft watercolors and the occasional torn photo or fabric collage, Stock's illustrations let the reader understand exactly how Sangoel is feeling and what a tremendous challenge it is to move to a new country and continent. . . Most schools in America have refugee children or children who are adjusting to a new culture and language; this is a book. . . that should help build compassion in many classrooms."